Hyogo Prefecture Specialties, Souvenirs, Shrines, Temples, and Travel | 47 Prefecture Guide

Hyogo is a prefecture facing both the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea it is. Harima in the south, Tajima in the north, and Tamba in the center. Several cultural regions exist within a single prefecture.

Specialties

Nada Gogo in Kobe and Nishinomiya is Japan’s largest sake-producing area in total.

There are four reasons. Miyamizu, mineral-rich hard water; Yamada Nishiki, a representative sake rice variety often grown in Hyogo; the cold Rokko oroshi winds; and the port. The conditions for brewing and the means to ship it to Edo were gathered in the same place.

Kobe Beef, Tajima beef, Akashi octopus, and ikanago sand lance. For bags, Toyooka is known as a production area, while matches are associated with the area around Himeji.

Souvenirs

Sake, pork buns from Chinatown, and Western-style sweets. The reason Kobe has many Western-style confectionery shops is that foreigners lived there from early on after the port opened in total.

Then Banshu abacuses and Tamba Tachikui ware vessels. Because the production areas are spread out, Hyogo offers a wide range of souvenirs.

Shrines and Temples

Nishinomiya Shrine in Nishinomiya is the head shrine of the approximately 3,500 Ebisu shrines said to exist across Japan in total.

Every year before dawn on January 10, runners race about 230 meters from the opened gate to the main shrine building in the Kaimon Shinji Fukuotoko Erabi ritual The first three to arrive become that year’s lucky men. It is no coincidence that a shrine enshrining the deity of business prosperity stands at the center of a port and sake town.

Ikuta Shrine in Kobe is the shrine from which the place name Kobe is said to derive The name comes from the kanbe households assigned to serve this shrine.

Nofukuji Temple (Kobe City) is known as the temple where Kiyomori’s grave is located. Kitano Tenman Shrine (Kobe City) stands at the top of the slope where the former foreign residences are found.

Sightseeing

Himeji Castle was, in 1993, one of the first sites in Japan to be registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site, together with Horyuji Temple Its keep is a National Treasure.

This castle survived because it never became the stage of a full-scale battle A castle known for the strength of its defenses was spared from having to use them.

Bathhouse-hopping at Kinosaki Onsen, the Takeda Castle ruins floating above Asago’s sea of clouds, Awaji Island, and the black soybeans of Tamba-Sasayama.

Traditional Crafts

Nationally designated items are Banshu abacuses, Tamba Tachikui ware, Izushi ware, Banshu fishing flies, Toyooka kiryu wickerwork, and Banshu Miki forged blades, making 6 items.

Banshu abacuses account for about 70% of domestic production, and Banshu fishing flies for nearly all of it. Tamba Tachikui ware is one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns.

For details, see [VILLAGE Report vol.24] 70% of abacuses, almost all fishing flies

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References: Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, Nishinomiya City, Himeji City, Ono City, Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Tax Agency, Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries — Value Village Editorial Team